Evening Star, Vesper Bell marks an evocative encounter between Magnus Granberg and the skilled ensemble Apartment House. Recorded at Goldsmiths Music Studio, the album sets aside electronics to focus on acoustic timbres: prepared piano, clarinet, viola, violin, cello, vibraphone, and percussion. Built from musical fragments that nod to Schubert and Cole Porter, Granberg’s framework is not strictly notated; instead, each musician enters and exits according to personal judgment, within flexible modal constellations. This method encourages each gesture to be both independent and responsive, underlining the ensemble’s ability to move between silent restraint and luminous, communal sound.

The music’s character is shaped by a careful interplay of space and sound, with silences acting as meaningful as any note. The ensemble’s touch is unhurried, their phrasing characterized by clarity and humility rather than showmanship. Every detail – whether it is a piano’s resonance or the brush of percussion – becomes weighted with significance and collective trust. With textures that remain open and transparent, Evening Star, Vesper Bell finds its unique balance: neither nostalgic nor clinical, it reflects Granberg’s compositional curiosity in quietly transformative ways.

Set within the context of Another Timbre’s varied catalogue, this release quietly asserts a fresh perspective on contemporary chamber work. The musicians maintain patient discipline, always listening, their decisions governed less by the pursuit of climax and more by the awareness of shared sonic space. The album stands as a testament to the potential of dialogic, open-form composition, where surprise and familiarity gently intertwine, and the value of listening is continually reaffirmed. For those drawn to understated complexity and the slow bloom of ensemble sound, Evening Star, Vesper Bell holds a compelling invitation.